This week in Awards
- The Strangest Oscars in History?
Critics attacked Soderbergh’s Academy Award ceremony for its anticlimax and lack of spectacle. But there were deserving winners, intimate moments and a real sense of an industry grappling with reality over fantasy. - Oscars 2021: Full list of winners and nominations
The 93rd Academy awards winners have been announced. Here is the full list of nominees with winners highlighted.
READ: The ‘Oscar Halo’: how awards decide where money goes in the film industry
- Videogame developer Respawn wins historic Oscar for Colette short documentary
Among the winners at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony were Facebook-owned tech giant Oculus and Electronic Arts studio, Respawn - NZ Games Festival: ‘The Pavs’ Awards winners and nominees 2021
Antifascist photography game Umurangi Generation cleaned up at NZ Games Fest’s annual awards this year, with nods going to Best Friend Forever, Trigger Witch and more, across The Pavs ten categories.
READ: Umurangi Generation and the rise of the antifascist videogame
in production
- ABC crime series Troppo starring Thomas Jane to film in Queensland
Jocelyn Moorhouse will direct the series based on Candice Fox’s bestselling novel, Crimson Lake. - Marc Fennell to host ABC documentary series fighting racism at school
The series sees students participate in a social experiment where they learn about racial bias and how to make positive change. - Apple TV+ series Physical announced, featuring Rose Byrne and Craig Gillespie
Physical is a 10-episode dark comedy about the world of 1980’s aerobics, airing in June on Apple’s subscription streaming service. - Hamish Blake signs on to host LEGO Masters for two more years
The comedian and presenter will host two further seasons of 9Network’s incredibly popular series, which launched its third season this week to an enthusiastic reception. Michael Healy, Nine’s Director of Television, described it as ‘ultimate feel-good program,’ continuing that: ‘It’s also one of those rare programs to resonate with people of all ages. We’re thrilled today to be able to commit to LEGO® Masters for an additional two series.’
on screen
- Box Office: Mortal Kombat lags behind Godzilla vs Kong in first-week take
At the moment, based on three first week takings, roughly two Kombats equal one Kong.
READ: Mortal Kombat – Leaving behind the Anglo American-looking Blockbuster
- Cinema Reborn in a Ritzy classic weekend of historic joys
Cinema Reborn is a weekend festival at Sydney’s Randwick Ritz, re-presenting some classics remastered to their former glory. - Teen Movies, ‘Moxie’ and Me
In the wake of Amy Poehler’s eager-to-please Moxie on Netflix, Adrian Martin considers his long love of the genre and its oddities. - Documentary The Kids to premiere at Tribeca 2021
Australian filmmaker Eddie Martin is behind this doco, which revolves around Larry Clark’s 1995 cult classic film Kids. - Film Review: Rhapsody of Love is a warm and diverse rom-com
Billed as the first Asian-Australian rom-com, Joy Hopwood’s ‘Crazy Middle-Class Asians’ bridges a big gap in the industry, says Andy Trieu.
- Mad Max’s Australian outback: anarchic wastelands, punk villains and ocker clowns
In the leadup to 2023’s Mad Max: Furiosa, Amanda Howell considers the history of Ozploitation, the bushranger myth and Australian cinema’s obsession with national identity.
INDUSTRY NEWS:
- The future of film: a simple guide
A group of UK companies and researchers look at the future in a short and very useful report, covering everything from virtual production to embedding audiences in storytelling. - GCAP, AGDAs dates announced for 2021
After 2020’s conference offered ‘pathways to connect’ online, GCAP and the AGDAs are back in person, with dates announced for 2021. - PlayStation records most profitable year in history
PS5 shortages and COVID-19 didn’t stop Sony’s gaming division from recording its most profitable year in its 27-year history. - New Xbox consoles, Minecraft, and Game Pass drive huge growth for Microsoft
Xbox Series X/S consoles saw hardware revenue grow by a massive 232%, and Minecraft users hit 140 million. - Epic Games Store welcomes indie platform Itch.io, other apps too
The distribution platform of choice for small, independent game developers coming to a major storefront in an interesting move. - Can technology help us empathise?
Technology doesn’t have to a barrier to human connection; it can be harnessed to combat everything from mental health struggles to climate change and loneliness. - Empowering First Nations documentary maker Daniel King
King is one of many ACMI X residents, using the coworking space to foster creative process and open up new collaboration opportunities.
Career Advice:
- Hades’ Greg Kasavin breaks down Supergiant’s unique approach to narrative
‘It’s nice having someone just notice and care that there was a small change about you, like a haircut or a new pair of shoes. it makes you feel good. Our games try to have the equivalent of that moment.’ - Cold Email Etiquette: how to ask for work
Sending that scary email could change your life. The Media Mentor shows you how, with practical templates to get you started.
